Saturday, November 7, 2009

We have previously visited Malmaison here. The former manor home of Josephine and Napoléon, it contains sculpture and an abundance of portraits of them both. Today this bust of Napoléon I that I thought was far too beautiful to have been displayed in the back stairwell. For more information about Malmaison, click here.

UPDATE: I'm adding this link, which has a great number of photographs along with information about the "loving" couple. I'm still researching the name Malmaison.

Merci to Paula for this link explaining the meaning of Malmaison. My, we've all had a little history lesson today. Very interesting. Be sure to read all the comments, more there as well.

Harriet,For once I've been to a place that Peter has not visited! Can you believe it??? :) I"ve googled it all morning and can't find a reason. It was Malmaison when Josephine bought it I do know that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château_de_Malmaison

I like your Hemingway quote. I read "A Moveable Feast" when I was very young so I didn't really understand it and his recountings about being married but having an affair, but I do remember that he loved Paris like a lover and I think that's what he means. It's like the love of your life as far as place is concerned.

Napolean looks pristine, they must have put him there temporarily, non?

I took a group of women and one man on a tour of the Huntington today. The ringleader was a super charming lady who really lead the tour, when she stopped to take a picture, everyone stopped with her -- and she stopped every ten steps or so. She reminded me of you, without the Southern accent, but one can't have everything.

Hiker,If I had been there not only would i have stopped every 10 feet, for a photo, but I would have asked questions ad nauseum , and had something to say everytime you drew a breath. You are a lucky soul that i live too far away to take your tour each and every time because I would you know! Maybe one day in the near future, you'll look up and there I'll be! Be afraid, very afraid.V

Starman,To be honest, I had to really look at my photos to make sure this was taken there. Luckily I snapped the plaque. I think the Emperor was not nearly this handsome. Just my opinion. Apparently Josephine felt the same way or she wouldn't have been "fooling around"! v

Paris je t'aime

I fell in love with Paris in March 2007. It was as the French say, le coup de foudre : love at first sight. As a result of that trip, my photography took another direction. Since that time I have pursued a career of sorts in photography and dreamed of returning to the City of Light. November 2008 found me strolling the streets of Paris once again. My first visit I was so overwhelmed with the incredible beauty of the city, I photographed it as a "tourist". In 2008 I returned and I looked at the city with more of a photographer's eye. I wanted to capture the unique, the small details, and oh yes - the people! This blog was started as a photo diary of that trip, but I have been most fortunate to return to the city j'adore 9 times since. Each time I leave, I wipe a tear and start planning my list for the next trip. Paris may well be a moveable feast, but I think it's best savored in person! Someone told me that once you have been to Paris, you will leave a piece of your heart. I left mine right there, but I brought home some wonderful memories. It is my pleasure to share them with you.